Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Rupert
Holmes’ stage adaptation of John Grisham’s first novel, “A Time To Kill,” is a searing
thriller of a court room drama.

Grisham,
who has written dozens of novels, wrote “A Time To Kill” before he penned “The
Firm” and “The Pelican Brief.”

Growing up
in Mississippi, he worked as a lawyer and was a member of the House of
Representatives for that state. With his background it’s no surprise that the
play is chock full of fascinating southern characters as well as a smoldering
racial tension that bristles throughout.

When two
red neck boys are brought to trial after having shattered the life of a 10 year
old black girl, the stage is set for a confrontation of bigotry and rage as the
girl’s father seeks vengeance for their heinous act.

Esteemed
director Bernie Cardell has assembled a superb cast that delivers a gripping
evening of theatre that rivets.

Robert Lee
Hardy portrays the father of the victim with smoldering rage.

As Jake
Brigance, the lawyer for the defense, Drew Hirschboeck gives an engaging and memorable
portrayal. His nuanced closing statement to the jury will touch you deeply.

Perry Lewis
is outstanding in his performance as the prosecuting attorney, Rufus Buckley.

Miranda
Byers charms as a precocious intern who assists Brigance.

Linda
Suttle turns in her best performance to date as Judge Olga Noose.

Monday, April 3, 2017

THE INTELLIGENT DESIGN OF JENNY CHOW

VINTAGE THEATRE PRODUCTIONS: 3/31 – 5/21

L-R: Min Kyung Kim and Emily Gerhard (Photo Credit: Janelle Althoff)

Directed
with style by Mark Pergola, The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow is the story
of a cyber-genius who has OCD and is also afflicted with Agoraphobia. Adopted
in infancy from China, Jennifer Marcus longs to meet her birth mother. Since
she’s afraid to step outside her house she creates a robot to travel to her
birth place. Playwright Mark Rollins’ script was a finalist for the Pulitzer
Prize in 2006.

Director
Pergola has cast Min Kyung Kim as
Jennifer Marcus. Making her Vintage Theatre and Denver debut, this actor delivers
a passionate reading of a genius’s need to get ‘out of the box.”

Emily Gerhard’s sparkling performance as a
robotic alter ego invests the show with humor and warmth.

Andrew Uhlenhopp’s comic performance in a number
of supporting roles provides a light-hearted punctuation to the proceedings.
His amorous Mormon missionary is especially memorable.

Margaret
Norwood portrays a no-nonsense mother with a penchant for tough love wishing
her daughter could open the door to her own life.